Vehicle clutch control mechanism



June 1'4, 1949. R, E, BURRUS 2,472,789

VEHICLE CLUTCH CONTROL MECHANISM Filed July 16, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR.

June 14, 1949. l R E, BURRUS 2,472,789

VEHICLE CLUTCH CONTROL MECHANISM Filed July 16, 1945 Sheets-'Sheet 2 K NMR e L24/ J Patented June 14, 1 949 STAT EES PATIENT FFICE Robert Burrus,-nchanan, Mich., assignor to Clark Equipment 4Company,4 Buchanan, Mich., acorporaticnof Michigan 8 Claims. E

This invention relates to vehicle clutch contrcl mechanisms, and vmore 'particularly is. :concerned with mechanism: embodied ina vehicle 'of the type having an auxiliary or supplemental engine used for providing added torque when the vehicle is climhingngrades yor when `Vadditional accelseration is required.. A vehicle of this type having sa. .booster engine unit isdescribed in the con pending-i'ipqolficationI of .Donald D. Ormsby, lSerialf:No=..256,94"7s,. .iiled February .l;7.,-- 1939', which haseissued ast Patent No. '2,419,911,1dated. April: 29, 19441, :and general',1thte present'. invention constitutes amodificati'on foiithat construction to the extent of providing means for relievingwthe lay vshaft Lbetween .the amciliary engine' and the transmissionaof stresses `producedwhen the yehicle zlisffstopped, .and has a Vtendency to roll hackwardrfwhilein vgear; Dueto thevdireot. connection of T,the lay shaft: into vthe 5countershait of the transmission of. vehicles of this type, any tend--.

ency'of thevehicle: v,to .roll rearwardly when the transmissionfhas not been shifted to neutral produces a reverser.-rotation. of ithe 4lay shaft, backing the;y `trarn'sinission up against the. :compression :of theauxiliar-y engine to "a point where itis impossihle` :to shift gearsA wheny .it Ii's fagain desired tov :start -,the i=velf1i'c1e.`

The present invention lhas :as-fone of its pri'- mary "objects the provisiony of imeansrfproviding for` declutching. theauxiliary engine'from'the vlay shaft whenever Athe .auxiliary engine lis cutrrout entirely.v This thereby disconnects 'the lay ,shaft` fromv the 4auxiliary engine so that. `any 'tendency off the vehicle to roll rearwardly willE not produce a aback compression. 'in :the auxiliary engine,

tending` to-lover stress the gears so thatithey cannot be shifted by the operator.

IA-still. further object ofl the present invention is fte-*provide a sliding' :clutch mechanism interf posedsbetweenfthe flywheel driveshaft andthe i universal joint'connection kto lthe 'lay'fshaft of vthe booster engine,2which clutch isconnected through a vacuum Asystem vand `a throttle: control mechanismfin: such manner .thai-,wit is: held in engaged position vrhy vacuumonlyv when the main .engine is operating. alcove'r .idling speed. Suitable 'throttle means at vvthe main engine opens the-` vacuurn vline whenever zthethrottle:reachesidling: position,I and sprirrgzmeans thervoperatesnto rdisen'gage the clutch mechanism lier-'disconnecting the auxiliary Vengine .from the :lay sshaiit.'

'Sti-ll:another ychj'ect of .the present invention is tti-:provide.aacontroimechanismof thlsfsort which is :entirely: automatic in *bperation and requires: nolrcontrol;conzthecpartfof ther-operator', so that vit wilflrunction. independently of the operator at ahw-times that conditions arise requiring shifting of 4the; disconnect clutch. However, the control means :can bemande-manually operable, if so desired, byusingreither the ignition switch of the auxiliaryfengine or a manual cut-out switch.

Other fobjectsand advantages of the 'present' invention will become more apparent to Athose skiiledin thef'art from the following Vdetailed de- :scription taken in conjunction with the gine Blavhich, throughr the bell housing 9 is connected toa transmission iii'havingthe gear shift lever l2 for controlling the various sneed ratios withinathe transmission. From the rear end oi the-transmission. lil there is extended a propeller shaft I3 lby which torque 'from the transmission is ,transferred to the driving axle i. Thus far, the'vehicle ifs of 'conventional design.

Mounted Lon one side of' the transmission and projecting 'laterally' therefrom is a power take-off housing litt-'having suitable gears connected into the idler shaft. of thev transmission, and to a lay shaftfl'' which extends parallel to the propeller shaftl'r't and at its opposite end is connected thronghftheluniversal joint i6 to the outnut shaft oi the auxiliary engine il. Theengine il is prefeiablyrnounted immediately within one of the side rails 'lb'etween the side rail and the propeliershaft v,i 3,"an'd-ifaces oppositely vto the rdirection-.of the engi-ned. It issupported in any suitable mannerxiromthe side rail and from a suitable: cross firanre member, and is provided with the iiywlfreei:housingA :E13 shownxrnore in detail in Figure 2, 'Within the flywheel' housingr i3 there is disposed the flywheel i9 having the starter `g-fear 5&6' 'and 'provided adjacent its hub portion with means foriiccnnecting the crankshaft '22 tothe outputfshaft 23; Thev output Ashaft 23 in turn is provided with a splined portion 2li `ami carries thereon :a rotatabiefsleeve member '25 having oiivsetinternal clutchV teeth! *26.

The opposite end of the sleeve member 25 is provided with a radial flange portion 21 to which is bolted a companion ange 28 of a universal joint assembly indicated generally at I6.

It will be noted that there is thus provided an independent connection of the shaft 23 with the shaft I through the internal clutch teeth 26 of the sleeve 25, and the sliding clutch gear 29 adapted to receive the shifter fork 30. The clutch member 29 is provided with external clutch teeth 32 adapted, when shifted to the right as viewed in Figure 2, to mesh with clutch teeth 26 to provide a driving connection from the shaft 23 to the shaft I5.

The shifter fork 30 is xed upon a sliding rail 33 mounted in a suitable box 34 in the end wall of the flywheel housing I8, there being a suitable projecting cap member 35 accommodating movement of the outer end of the rail 33, as shown in dotted lines, when it is shifted into connecting position. The shifter fork 30 is also provided with an upstanding arm 36 in which is engaged the projecting rod 31 extending into a vacuum control member 38 having a diaphragm 38 which may be of the differential pressure diaphragm type, that is, containing a diaphragm subject to atmospheric pressure on one side and sub-atmospheric pressure on the other side and which is supported by the bracket 39 upon an extension 46 of the flywheel housing. The pull rod 31, when the member 38 is subjected to vacuum, is retracted in position, causing engagement of clutch teeth 32 and 26. When the vacuum is relieved in member 38, suitable spring means 4| within this member forces the pull rod 31 outwardly, thereby shifting the fork 30 to disengage the clutch. A rubber dust boot 4I is provided over the rod 31 and is apertured as indicated to allow atmospheric pressure on the side of the diaphragm 38 opposite the spring means 4|.

The member 38 is provided with a vacuum connection 42 leading into a vacuum control member 43, which in turn is connected through the vacuum line 44 with a suitable source of vacuum,

such as the vacuum tank 45 carried by a truck of this type, and which may be employed also in connection with vacuum brakes or the like. Interposed between the vacuum control member 43 and the line 44 is an electric control member 46 having terminals 41 and 48. terminal 41 is connected through conductor 49 to one terminal 50 of an accelerator pedal control switch 52. The terminal 48 is connected through The' line 53 to one side of a battery or power source 54, the other side of which lis connected to the terminal 55 of the accelerator pedal control switch. A suitable switch arm 56 is provided which is pivotally connected with the accelerator pedal 51 so that upon depression of the accelerator pedal 51, the switch 52 is energized to complete a circuit between terminals 41 and 48. 'Ihis in turn opens the vacuum connection from line 44 through control member 43 to the control diaphragm 38', thereby pulling' rod 31 to the right against the pressure of spring 4I and engaging the clutch mechanism. The control member 46 is provided with an atmospheric breather connection 5| to admit air into line 42 when switch 52 is deenergized.

Thus, whenever the accelerator for the main engine is depressed, the vacuum connection operates to connect the lay shaft I5 with the'output shaft with the auxiliary engine I1. However,

when the accelerator pedal 51 is released to idling.

position, the arm 56 actuates switch 52 in 'such manner as to open the circuit between the terminals 41 and 48, thereby opening the vacuum line so that no vacuum exists in the control 38. As a result, the spring means within this member function to force the rod 31 outwardly, thereby disengaging the clutch to disengage the shaft I5 from the output shaft 23, thereby allowing the vehicle to roll rearwardly without building up any compression within the auxiliary engine I1.

It will be noted that the control circuit is shown only diagrammatically, and its is obvious that other types of control may be employed for this purpose if so desired.

It is therefore believed apparent that I have provided a simple, easily installed automatic clutch mechanism for control of the connection between the lay shaft and the auxiliary engine which is entirely independent of any control on the part of the operator, except insofar as his normal operation of the accelerator pedal is concerned.

I therefore do not expect to be limited except as dened by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a vehicle, a. main engine, having an accelerator, an auxiliary engine, a transmission coupled to said main engine, a lay shaft connecting said auxiliary engine into said transmission, clutch means between said auxiliary engine and said lay shaft, and means responsive to movement of said accelerator to an idling position of said main engine for disconnecting said clutch means.

2. In a vehicle having a main engine, speed controlling means therefor, and a, transmission, an auxiliary engine, means including a lay shaft connecting said auxiliary engine to said transmission to supplement the torque of said main engine, clutch means between said auxiliary engine and said lay shaft, a vacuum tank, vacuum-responsive means normally connected to said tank for maintaining said clutch means engaged, control means responsive to idling position of the speed controlling means for opening said vacuum responsive means to atmosphere, and spring means in said vacuum responsive means operable thereupon to release said clutch means.

3. In combination, a vehicle having a main engine and transmission, an accelerator pedal for controlling the throttle of said main engine, an auxiliary engine, a lay shaft for connecting said auxiliary engine t0 said transmission, clutch means between said auxiliary engine and said lay shaft, and means controlled by said pedal for disconnecting said clutch means whenever said pedal is in idling position.

4. In a vehicle, a main engine having an accelerator, an auxiliary engine, a transmission coupled to said main engine, a lay shaft connecting said auxiliary engine to said transmission, clutch means between said auxiliary engine and said lay shaft, a vacuum system for said vehicle including an actuator for said clutch means and means controlled by said accelerator for energizing said actuator Whenever said main engine accelerator is beyond idling speed position.

5. In a vehicle, a main engine having an accelerator, an auxiliary engine, a transmission coupled to said main engine, a lay shaft connecting said auxiliary engine to said transmission, clutch means between said auxiliary engine and said lay shaft, a vacuum system for said vehicle including an actuator for said clutch means and means controlled by said accelerator for deenergizing said actuator Whenever said accelerator is released to idling position to thereby disengage said clutch means.

6. In a Vehicle, a main engine having speed controlling means therefor, a transmission, an auxiliary engine, clutch means for coupling said auxiliary engine to ,said transmission, spring means normally biasing said clutch means to disengaged position, Vacuum-controlled means for engaging said clutch means against the pressure of said spring means, and speed controlling means for said main engine operable when in idling position to de-energize said Vacuum controlled means.

7. In a vehicle having a main engine, means for controlling the speed thereof, and a transmission, an auxiliary engine connected to the transmission of the vehicle through a lay shaft, clutch means between said lay shaft and said auxiliary engine, an actuator `for said clutch L means, a vacuum system for said vehicle, control means in said system normally energizing said actuator to maintain said clutch means engaged Whenever said speed controlling means REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Trie of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,306,864 Stoddard June 17, 1919 1,470,272 Belcia Oct. 9, 1923 1,733,032 Staniewicz Oct. 27, 1929 2,155,434 Marsh Apr. 25, 1939 2,167,951 Janicke Aug. l, 1939 2,213,196 Bartholomew Sept. 3, 1940 2,305,373 Adamson Dec. 15, 1942 2,384,782 Rockwell et al. Sept. 11, 1945 

